Ancient Relics!

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This article is about the 1987 Action Force crossover by Marvel UK. For other stories with G.I. Joe, see G.I. Joe crossovers.

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<tr style="font-size:14px;"> <td class="tti_buttonlink">« </td><td align="center">The Transformers (UK) #125 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink">» </td></tr> <tr class="tt1_secondarynav"> <td class="tti_buttonlink"> </td><td align="center">Action Force #24–27 </td><td align="right" class="tti_buttonlink"> </td></tr></table> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; background-color:#ffffff;" align="center"> <img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/2/28/MarvelUK-125.jpg/230px-MarvelUK-125.jpg" width="230" height="302" border="0" /><br />BEHIND YOU, FLINT. WHERE THE NOISES ARE COMING FROM. </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="font-size: 14px; background-color:#e7d492; color:black;font-weight:bold;" align="center"> "Ancient Relics!" </td></tr> <tr> <td>Publisher </td><td> Marvel Comics </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Cover date </td><td> 8th August 1987 - 5th September 1987 </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Script </td><td> Simon Furman </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Pencils </td><td> Geoff Senior </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Inks </td><td> Dave Harwood </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Colours </td><td> Steve White </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Letters </td><td> Annie Halfacree </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Editor </td><td> Richard Starkings (AF24-27) </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Assistant editor </td><td> Steve White (AF24-27) </td></tr>

<tr> <td>Continuity </td><td> Marvel Comics continuity </td></tr>

</table> Megatron comes face to face with Action Force, the international arm of G.I. Joe.

<a name="Synopsis"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Synopsis</span></h2> Archaeologist Susan Hoffman is exploring ancient Roman sewers under London when she and her associates are attacked by the ex-Decepticon leader Megatron. Susan manages to escape but her friends are left behind. In an attempt to find them she returns with a team from Action Force, an international special mission force.

At the same time, the Protectobot Blades is in London investigating an unknown Transformer signal, as the Autobots continue to hunt for the deserters Blaster and Goldbug. He enters the tunnels looking for the source of the signal and is attacked by Action Force, who have mistaken him for Susan’s attacker. Blades manages to convince them that he doesn’t mean them any harm, but the noise has attracted the attention of Megatron, who launches an enraged attack on Blades and Action Force.

Action Force and Susan manage to make their way out of the sewer, only to meet Grimlock and the newly rebuilt Centurion, who have arrived to capture what they think is Blaster and Goldbug.

Megatron breaks through the ground hunting for his prey and then attacks Grimlock and Centurion, quickly overcoming them. Flint calls in reinforcements from Action Force, who attack Megatron. Enraged, Megatron lashes out at his attackers, making short work of them.

Centurion, who has been wracked with doubts and guilt since he was rebuilt by Wheeljack at the expense of other Autobots, launches a suicidal attack on Megatron and holds him at bay long enough for an Action Force air strike to detonate a cluster of fuel storage containers. Megatron and Centurion are engulfed in flames. A burning shape is seen leaving the conflagration and leaping into the river Thames. Blades and Flint salute the courage of Centurion and the sacrifice he made.

<a name="Featured_Characters"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Featured Characters</span></h2> (Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

<table border="5" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" align="center" style="border:#800000"> <tr> <th style="background:#FFEEEE"> Autobots</th><th style="background:#EEEEFE"> Decepticons</th><th style="background:antiquewhite"> Humans</th><th style="background:#FFEEB8"> Others </th></tr> <tr> <td style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top">

• Grimlock (3)
• Wheeljack (4)
• Blades (6)

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• Straxus-Megatron (2)

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• Susan Hoffman (1)

Action Force:

• Airtight (7)
• Barbecue (8)
• Bazooka (9)
• Scarlett (10)
• Flint (11)
• Wild Bill (12)
• Heavy Metal (13)
• Dusty (14)

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• Centurion (5)

</td></tr></table> <a name="Errors"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Errors</span></h2>

• Centurion was originally created as a mindless automaton by the Intelligence and Information Institute to be controlled by Professor Morris. He was later destroyed by Galvatron in "Fallen Angel". Here he is rebuilt by Wheeljack but appears to be a sentient being with no reference to Professor Morris. Simon Furman would later admit this is unclear.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a></sup>

<a name="Items_of_note"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Items of note</span></h2>

• This story involved a cross over with the UK Action Force comic. The first part was published in Transformers #125 while the remaining issues were published in Action Force #24–27. This was an attempt to boost interest in Transformers' sister title. The plan didn't work however as the Action Force comic folded less than six months later. Ironically after this it merged with Transformers from issue #153.
• At this stage the US G.I. Joe and the Transformers had not been published in the UK, making this the Transformers' first meeting with the anti-terrorist unit.
• Susan Hoffman would return in "Ladies' Night" and again in "Race with the Devil".
• Despite what is said in this story and the following 119 issues the "Megatron" found in this story is not the real Megatron deposited here by the space bridge after "Gone But Not Forgotten!", but a clone created by Lord Straxus. See "Two Megatrons!" for more information.
• Megatron and Centurion are brought out of the Thames in "Salvage!"

<a name="Back-Up_Stories"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Back-Up Stories</span></h2>

• The Iron Man of 2020 - "Man of the Year" Part 7
• Robo-Capers

<a name="Reprints"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Reprints</span></h2>

• This storyline was reprinted over the first six issues of Action Force Monthly, which was sold in North America as G.I. Joe: European Missions. This makes it the only UK-original Transformers story besides "Man of Iron!" that was available to US readers during the 1980s, although how many Transformers fans would have been picking up G.I. Joe: European Missions is debatable.
• The story was not included in the Titan Books reprints.

<a name="Covers_.285.29"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Covers (5)</span></h2> <table class="gallery" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/2/28/MarvelUK-125.jpg/91px-MarvelUK-125.jpg" width="91" height="120" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Transformers #125

</div> </div></td> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/8/85/Acfrwk024.jpg/89px-Acfrwk024.jpg" width="89" height="119" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Action Force #24

</div> </div></td> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/e/e8/Acfrwk025.jpg/89px-Acfrwk025.jpg" width="89" height="119" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Action Force #25

</div> </div></td> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/d/de/Acfrwk026.jpg/89px-Acfrwk026.jpg" width="89" height="119" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Action Force #26

</div> </div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px;"> <div class="thumb" style="padding: 13px 0; width: 150px;"><div style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 120px;"><img alt="" src="/w2/images2/thumb/1/1b/Acfrwk027.jpg/89px-Acfrwk027.jpg" width="89" height="119" border="0" /></div></div> <div class="gallerytext"> Action Force #27

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• UK issue #125 cover: Blades being attacked by Action Force, by Jeff Anderson.
• Action Force #24 cover: Megatron's damaged face, surrounded by AF headshots, by Lee Sullivan.
• Action Force #25 cover: Wild Bill takes a dive from a helicopter, by Jeff Anderson.
• Action Force #26 cover: Megatron crushes Heavy Metal's tank, by Jeff Anderson.
• Action Force #27 cover: Blades, Scarlett, Flint & Wild Bil as Big Damn Heroes, by Jeff Anderson.

<a name="References"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">References</span></h2> <ol class="references"><li id="cite_note-0">[#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> Simon Furman: "We 'assume' that's him [Morris] communicating through Centurion later in 'Ancient Relics' (though I confess it's not clear)." <a href="http://idwpublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=42871#42871 IDW Publishing Forum: Simon Furman Q&A Volume 2 LIVE!]</ol>